


The Norns Write Right in Crooked Lines

by Anny_Franny



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Royalty, BAMF Frigga (Marvel), M/M, Mutual Pining, Mythology - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 23:39:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8642683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anny_Franny/pseuds/Anny_Franny
Summary: Two princes are forced into an engagement to form a military alliance and save thousand of lives. Thor and Tony had everything to be a happy couple: they were friends, they liked to drink, they knew how to deal with their weapons. Maybe they didn’t love each other, but hey, given time, who knew? Except…Well, except Tony kinda fell in love with his hot dickish brother-in-law.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My entry for the FrostironBang! Based on [this prompt](http://frost-iron.tumblr.com/post/114060217402/arranged-marriage-au-prompt-option-1). I wish I had written the whole prompt but it was getting too big. Sorry OP D: Anyway, thanks to [gamesandgoldenapples](http://gamesandgoldenapples.tumblr.com/) for being my beta and yamatai [for that awesome art!](http://shirleh.tumblr.com/post/153591829759/for-anachronismstellars-fanfic-as-part-of)

The throne hall was oddly empty, no guard or servant around, making every little sound even louder in the vast room. Behind the throne, there was a wide window. The sun entered the hall and bathed the throne and its surroundings in a bright light. On the throne was King Odin, a man with a proud presence. He was dressed in armour, white hair falling on his shoulders. He had an eyepatch covering his right eye and a long spear in his right hand. Before him were his sons: Thor, the golden one,  bright as the day; and Loki, dark and cold as the night. Odin looked at them, and his lips thinned in a serious expression. When the king talked his voice echoed commandingly, making clear that he who spoke to the princes was the king and not their father.

“I asked you to come here today because we received an important message from Midgard.” An inadvertent pause. “They seek to discuss an alliance with us.”

Silence hung over them for a long moment. Odin looked pensively at his sons while both princes waited. Thor and Loki knew it was some kind of test; it always was a test with Odin the King. As Loki only seemed intrigued, Thor couldn't hold his tongue and expressed his confusion:

“But we already are on good terms with Midgard.”

“We are. Midgard is a good trading partner, but the kind of alliance they are seeking is a more military one.”

“They are at war. And they are losing,” Loki said. He could feel that he wasn't going to like what Odin was about to say.

“Yes, they are. Their army is spent, and their resources, while plenty, aren't enough to hold all the fronts. They need more men and weapons.”

“I see,” Loki said in a low tone, almost a whisper.

Odin ignored his younger son and looked at Thor, as if waiting for the other to understand what such a request meant.

“Lending them such resources is only possible with...” the older prince said slowly, not daring to finish the phrase.

“A marriage, yes,” Odin said with a sigh, his posture slipping into more of a father than a king, for a moment. “They are sending their heir to propose. One of you shall marry their prince, if the terms are agreeable. I know it's not ideal, but Midgard is an important ally to us, and to offend them would be disastrous. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Father,” they said.

“Good. I know I'm asking a lot but-”

“My king,” Thor interrupted and knelt before Odin, head bowed low. “I am proud to serve Asgard in any means. If my realm needs and my king commands, I'll gladly marry the Midgardian.”

Odin looked carefully at his eldest and sighed once more, pressing his fingers against his temples.

“I was afraid you would say that…” Odin paused, thinking carefully about what he was going to say. “Our guest will arrive in five days, and negotiations will take a while. As your father, I counsel you to use this time to think properly about this matter.” Then, Odin said, “You may go now. Both of you.” With a gesture, the king dismissed them.

“Father,” they said at the same time, bowing before leaving. Loki waited until the doors were closed behind them to look around, whispering to his brother:

“You are sure of what you are doing? You don't even know this Midgardian. What if he is unbearable?”

“What do you propose then, Brother? Do you want to marry him in my place?”

“All I'm saying is that you should be more careful about this, Thor. At least meet the prince first. Father will understand if we don't give him an answer immediately.”

“I already gave my word, and I'm not going back. It is my duty as a prince and I'll bear it with pride.”

Loki rolled his eyes, shaking his head a little. “You are too reckless sometimes.”

“And you are too cautious, Brother. Always keeping everything too close to your heart.” Thor smiled and embraced Loki's shoulders with one arm in a half hug.

“I still think you are being hasty. If he is ugly, I'm going to laugh at you.”

Thor laughed, his joyful voice rebounding in the corridor.

“Liar! I know that if you don't approve of him you will help me run away!” He laughed again, making Loki smile and roll his eyes.

* * *

Steve felt like he had been run over by a horse. His back was killing him, and his silvery circlet seemed heavier than normal, pressing on his temples. He walked in firm steps through the halls, not stopping even when people called to him. After a Parliament session that had crawled on minute by minute, every instant wasted made Steve anxious.

They had sent a raven to Asgard and their answer was positive. The trip was set to start today, and Steve woke up that morning ready to take up his duty as a prince and go to the strange nation to marry an Asgardian. But to his surprise, it was his brother who was called to the King's chamber.

And, God, Tony's face. Steve felt a little sorry for his brother. They hadn't expected something like that. After all, Steve was the younger, and Tony was the heir to the throne.

The blond clenched both his hands so hard that his knuckles went white, shoulders tense. Just a few steps more and he was in front of his brother's workshop. He was not surprised to find Jarvis by the door. The butler's face was a little pale, his posture, always so impeccable, crumbling.

“How is he?” the prince asked hurriedly, looking at the closed door with worry.

The taller man turned to answer Steve.

“Your highness-”

A loud clang echoed through the corridor. Both men winced, their ears ringing. 

“He is not well, Your Highness. I think you should talk to him.” Jarvis sighed, shrinking his shoulders when another loud clang rang. “He locked himself in there after talking to the King and hasn't left yet. The noise got better now, but... ”

The prince took his circlet off, rubbing his forehead. He sensed a headache coming.

“Thank you, Jarvis. I will take it from here.”

“Of course, Your Highness,” the butler said with a weary smile, leaving the prince alone. Steve took a deep breath before knocking. Something crashed inside the room, and Steve waited patiently. The sounds coming from behind the door got louder for a moment. Then, silence. With Tony, that was more worrisome than explosions.

“Tony? Open the door, please. Talk to me.”

Another clang echoed through, but the older prince didn't said anything, making Steve sigh.

“Tony, if you don't talk to me, I can't help you.”

It took many minutes, but the door opened at last. The man who opened it didn't seem pleased at all. It was in moments like these that Steve was startled by how much his brother looked like their father, yet so different at the same time. His brown hair was a mess, his golden skin was pinkish from anger, grease on his hands and one cheek. Tony crossed his arms and stared at the younger brother and said:

“Hello Steve. How’s your day going? Mine is shitty, as you can see.”

The younger prince sighed again, pressing his fingers against his closed eyes.

“Did Dad say why he asked you to do it?”

“Asked? Asked?! God, you are always so fucking nice-”

“Tony!” Steve raised his voice and, for a second, he thought that he was going to get a punch in the face. But Tony took deep breaths, closing his eyes.

“He said that the Parliament made the choice. Let's be honest, what they are trying to do is get rid of me. It would be the solution to all their problems! The problematic child would go away to fucking Asgard and you would rule as they always wanted!”

“Tony-”

“Don't even try to deny it, Steve. They all think you should have been born first and you know it.”

Tony ran a hand through his hair, tired. He seemed older than he was when he let all his masks fall like that. The age difference between them wasn't big, only a year, but the law was clear. Even if the Parliament considered Steve more fit to be king, only if Tony died or abdicated would Steve rule.

And it was no secret that half of the Parliament wanted Tony to just renounce already. The other half shook Tony's hand and waited for his next mistake.

But Tony was a Stark, and Howard's son. He was made of iron. Renouncing wasn't an option, not even when everyone made his life a living hell.

“Look,” the younger said, trying to be more reasonable. “I know you are upset, and it is a difficult position to be in, but we don't have much choice. If the Parliament voted, you know it can't be helped. Dad's hands are tied and... we need allies and Asgard is powerful…”

“I know. I know all this, Steve. But me? I'm not a diplomat. Everything depends on this, and I feel like they are trying to make me fuck up somehow. Let's be honest. I'm more useful here, making stuff, than riding into the horizon on a white horse to marry a prissy prince.”

“Now, don't be like that. That’s not something nice to say. What have I told you about being offensive like that?” Steve said with a frown, making Tony roll his eyes. “Besides, their prince could be a good person. You can at least try to be friends with him.”

The silence was heavy. Minutes passed by until Tony sighed. He messed up his hair even more, pulling it lightly with a hollow laugh.

“I'll fuck this up.”

“You won't mess this up.” Steve said. “You are the most smart and charming person I know, when you are not trying to get on everyone’s nerves.”

“Hey! Objection! Getting on people’s nerves are part of my charm, you know that!”

“You are going to Asgard, and you are going to win this alliance. The Ten Rings won't even know what hit them,” Steve kept talking, ignoring the interruption with a smile, hugging Tony, trying to comfort his brother. “Maybe you will even fall in love, who knows? Everything is going to be okay, alright?”

“Love, right. Because that is so possible. I'm the unconquerable one, remember?” Tony rolled his eyes and said: “If I cause an international disaster, I'll say I told you so.”

Steve only snorted and said, “Of course you will.”

And Tony smiled. It's a small, tired smile, but a smile nevertheless.

* * *

The morning was bright, not even one cloud in the sky. The royal family was gathered in front of the palace. They could hear the horses as the carriage got closer, and all Loki could think about was how much he wanted to go back to the library to finish his book. The palace was decorated, the number of guards was practically doubled, all to show the Midgardian how powerful the Asgardians were.

Ah, politics… Loki loved it, but sometimes he didn't have the patience for it. The Midgardian was the one who should do everything to impress them, not the other way around.

When the committee arrived, the first person who got out was a knight, clad in leather armour, a long sword holstered at his hip. His skin was dark, his head was shaved, and his expression was serious. His dark eyes analysed the crowd before he completely opened the carriage's door. Another man got out: clearly, the prince. His clothes were much more elaborate: a deep red tunic with golden needlework, contrasting with his tanned skin. His eyes were dark, deep, almost black from distance. His smile was a practised one but appealing on him. He wasn't ugly. Quite the contrary, with his beard accentuating his chin and lips, strong arms and nice shoulders... Loki hated to admit it, but he was a bit… annoyed? Yes, that might be it. He had been hoping for some chance to laugh at his impulsive brother, but it seemed that Thor was lucky.

“Congratulations, Brother. At least he is handsome,” Loki whispered to Thor, smirking.

“Loki, not now,” the blond  _ tried  _ to whisper back, but as always, his voice was too loud. It attracted the Midgardian's attention to the princes. The foreigner winked at them.

Well, would you look at that. The Midgardian was cheeky. Maybe this wasn't going to be a waste of time.

“May I present Prince Anthony Edward Stark: Heir of the King, Warden of the North and Protector of the Midgard Realm,” the soldier announced, and the prince came one step forward, bowing to Odin.

“King Odin, I, Anthony Stark, thank you for having me in your kingdom and your home. May our alliance grow stronger and our kingdoms prosper.”

“It's an honor to receive you, Prince Stark. May we share wine and bread, and may everyone know that you are a guest in my kingdom and in my house. No harm will come to you or your companions under my roof.” The King spoke in a loud, clear voice. “Prince Stark, I present to you my wife, Frigga, and my sons, Thor and Loki.”

Stark bowed his head slightly to every member of the royal family. It didn't take long for Thor to start asking questions about Midgard and its military. Anthony answered his questions with a smile, once or twice seeking the opinion of his companion, Sir Rhodes, the soldier who had announced the prince.

“So? What do you think of him?” Frigga asked Loki, reaching out to her son.  He held his arm out to his mother, both walking slowly side by side as the others walked in the front, the queen talking in low tones.

“He seems… charming, I think. And Thor likes him,” he said with a shrug, indifferent.

“Indeed…” the queen paused, looking at her son in a scrutinizing manner. “Your father told me about the marriage proposal.”

“Did he? And pray tell, Mother, what did you say to him?”

“That I gave him sons, not chickens to trade in the market,” Frigga said with a smile, stopping before they could enter the palace. She turned to her son and said:   
“We both know how your brother is and how your father is. I want you to watch this Midgardian closely, and if he turns out to be wicked in any way…”

“I don't think there is any need to fret, Mother. They do need your help to win the war,” Loki said while trying to hold back a little smile. He kissed her hand, squeezing it to comfort her.

“Just indulge me, Loki,” Frigga sighed. She held her son's face with both her hands, her smile getting sad. “I am, first and foremost, your mother, and I will not see any of my sons suffering for any gold, army, or alliance in the world.”

Loki kissed his mother’s forehead and said, smiling:

“Yes, Mother. Of course.”

* * *

After shaking all the hands that needed to be shaken and greeting almost everyone in court, Tony let a servant show him to his quarters, where all his belongings were waiting for him. He rested for a while, then changed his clothing to something more comfortable but not less luxurious. He had to make an impression, after all.

He looked in the mirror and, deeming himself ready, went to the ballroom where a feast was being held in his honour. He glanced around on the way. Damn, Asgardians really loved gold: golden walls, golden pillars, golden floors. By the Gods, someone could tell them that a little variety didn't hurt! He entered the dining hall (surprise surprise, more gold), a little impressed by its amplitude, the large columns, and the big tables full with people talking and drinking. The food hadn't been served yet, but the smell coming from the kitchens made the prince's stomach grumble. He couldn't find Rhodey in such a crowd, but he was sure that his bodyguard was in there somewhere, scaring Asgardians with his frown, probably drinking water, being a spoil sport as always.

Well, he didn't have time to look for him now. He had some Asgardian asses to kiss, and the faster he went through all this, the better. Tony got closer to the  royal table, greeting the king and the queen before sitting beside Thor, smiling to his yet-to-be-negotiated betrothed.

If anyone asked Tony, he would say that it could be worse. His suitor was handsome, with shoulders made to wrap legs around and a blinding smile. They talked, and Thor seemed honestly curious about his realm and how the war was going, and what kind of  weapons Midgard used, how many soldiers there were etc. etc.

And it was fine, really. Tony was a good engineer, and making weapons was his speciality. So war was kind of his speciality too. But the subject plus the blond hair and big puppy eyes… It made Thor look a lot like Steve. Like, really. And he didn't think he could bed the Asgardian version of his brother.

Just. Yikes.

“But enough of war talk; we are going to discuss this in the next several days anyway,” Tony said with a smile, changing the subject. “I couldn't help but notice that your garden has some interesting plants. I have never seen blue roses before. How did you cultivate such a color?”

Frigga beamed, seeming happy to talk about other things than the difference between daggers and small knives.

“It's  very simple, actually. All you need is good soil and a little seidr. You should come to the inner gardens sometime; Yggdrasil is beautiful this time of year.”

“Yggdrasil? What is a Yggdrasil?” Tony asked with curiosity. “And what do you mean by seidr?”

“It is our sacred tree. Seidr is what we call our magic,” Frigga said. “Don't you have mages in Midgard?”

“Mages?” Tony almost laughed, but he noticed in time that the queen was being serious. “I mean, no. Witches and mages are something from the old tales,” Tony said with raised eyebrows.

“Oh. I see,” Frigga said with surprise. “I'm sure Loki could show you some things, if you are interested. He is a very good mage.” The queen said it with a proud voice, smiling to her younger son.

The prince in question was talking to a blond man, one of Thor's friends, Fandal or Frandal, Tony couldn't remember. He was completely oblivious to the Midgardian’s stare. When Frigga called to her son to ask him something, the younger Asgardian turned to Tony with a surprised look. Loki’s green eyes seemed darker because of the room’s light and his cheeks were flushed. His lips were tinted with wine, red and a little puffed, as if the prince were biting them. Tony almost forgot what they were talking about.

“I'll be honored to answer any questions that Prince Stark may have,” Loki said and then turned to Fandral again, resuming his conversation with the other Asgardian, ignoring Tony just like that. That made the Midgardian feel a little bit bothered. Sure, Loki and Fandral guy may be friends and all that, but he was a guest, a prince from another realm. The least Loki could do was talk to him a little more. 

Not that it mattered very much. Yes, Loki was gorgeous, and no one liked gorgeous people ignoring them. But Thor was just as handsome and was paying attention to him. So, whatever.

“Hey, Thor, is your brother always like...?” Tony turned to look at Thor, a little unsure about how to proceed. It wasn’t a good idea offend the other by saying something bad about Loki.

“Ah… Don't mind my brother's behaviour, Anthony. It takes time for Loki to form friendships with strangers. He'll get used to you.”

“What about his magic? Can he use it to fight?”

“Oh, he can!” the older prince said with a big, bright smile. “He is a good mage but quite skilled at throwing knives and spears too! Let me tell you about the time we went to Nidavellir and-”

Ah. Yay. Another battle story.

Tony tried to pay attention, but after almost an hour of “How Thor and the Warriors Three and Lady Sif saved the day, yadda yadda,” he was bored. And with this new information about the younger prince, Tony wanted more than anything to pick Loki's brain and ask everything about magic. How did it really work? Could he learn magic too? Was it some kind of science, or was it more of a spiritual thing? If it was a spiritual thing, did that mean it was a religious thing too?

So many questions, so little time.

Maybe he should try to talk with Prince Loki after dinner, since he was so occupied right now. Yes, see if he was really smart as his mother said, or if he only had a pretty face. And kissable lips...

Tony sighed, biting his own lips. He didn't notice he was staring at Loki (again) until Thor patted his shoulder, almost making Tony's face go into his food. The blond's voice sounded too much like a question, and for a second, he felt a little panicked.

What did he ask?

“Uh… Sure,” Tony agreed with a smile, pretending to know what Thor was talking about.

“Wonderful! We shall meet tomorrow morning for a sparring match! And bring your soldier companion too! The more the merrier!”

Oh. Oh God.

“O-Of course. Uh- I'll tell Rhodes about it.”

Well… Fuck.

* * *

Loki's day began with his morning routine. The prince washed up quickly and then tied his hair in a loose braid. He put on light armor over a green tunic, then slipped into leather boots which he could walk silently in, the soft cloth making almost no sound against the ground. After breakfast, he had planned to finish the book he had started yesterday before the arrival of the Midgardian committee, but on the way to the library, something caught the prince's attention. There was a commotion in the courtyard: soldiers cheering and boasting, coin passing from hand to hand. Loki approached the small crowd sneakily, trying to see what all the noise was about. And he couldn't be more surprised.

In the middle of the yard were Thor and Stark, both in training clothes and covered in sweat. They were smiling: the blond prince with his war hammer, Stark holding one sword in each hand. They walked in circles, one facing the other, analyzing the opponent. It was an almost comical sight. Thor was so much bigger than Stark. Why in the Nine Realms the Midgardian accepted the challenge was beyond Loki's comprehension.

But the mage should know better than trust appearances.

Oh, it was beautiful. Stark knew how to use his height in his favor; in a matter of seconds, he was upon the Asgardian, sword and hammer colliding. Stark was only a moving shadow to less attentive eyes, using his whole body to strike the other, not giving Thor any chance to block his attacks.

It was over in an instant. Thor laid on the ground, hammer against the other prince's chest while the Midgardian swords were pressed to his opponent's throat without breaking the skin.

The crowd exploded in cheers and applause. Stark helped Thor get up as the blond laughed, eyes bright with excitement.

“What a fight! By the Gods, you move like- Brother! We were just talking about you!”

“Indeed? Only good things I hope.”

“Thor here was about to tell me all about magic tricks,” Stark said with a smirk, cleaning the sweat from his face. Standing beside Thor, the contrast between them was even more noticeable. They made a strange pair: both strong warriors, but with very different body types. Thor was the typical Asgardian: tall and blond, big muscles and shoulders, white skin always pinkish because of the sun. Stark was much shorter, slender, compact muscles and tanned skin, nice hands that were not too big but with thick fingers...

Loki blinked, turning his eyes from the Midgardian's distracting arms to look at his brother, raising one eyebrow.

“And since when do you like to talk about magic?” Loki asked with suspicion, crossing his arms. “It is all but tricks to you, isn't it?”

“Aye. I'm not a mage, but your tricks had saved me many times. And I may be a warrior, but I am Thor Friggason as well,” Thor said with a shrug.

“You can't even light a small flame, even less explain to Stark how magic works.”

“Well but-”

“Gentleman, there is no need to fight,” Stark intervened, turning to Loki. “And you can always give me a demonstration, Prince Loki.”

Loki looked at the other, smirking.

“Perhaps another time,” Loki said to Stark. “I have duties to attend. I was just passing by. Besides…” The mage turned his wrist in an elegant gesture, making a clone appear right behind the Midgardian, his copy ending the phrase. “I don't want to scare you.”

Stark startled and turned around, eyes wide with shock. 

“Holy fuck-” He looked at Loki and the clone with mouth half-opened, making Loki hold back a laugh.

“Loki, we talked about this!” Thor scolded his younger brother. “You can't use your magic on other people like that!”

“I know, I know.” Loki rolled his eyes, ready to apologize to Stark. Yet, before he could even open his mouth, the Midgardian started to ask one question after another without pausing to breathe.

“How the hell did you do that? Those are copies? Are they physical beings like you or just illusions? They can touch things? Can you make other things from air? Oooh, maybe do a copy of me?”

“It is an illusion and no, it can't touch things. And yes, I can make another things...” Loki tried to answer everything, but Stark just started to ask more and more questions, about magical theories: if it had theories or it was more experimental, how it could relate to physics and chemistry, and… Loki didn't expect that. Fear and suspicion, yes, but genuine curiosity…? Now he was the shocked one.

“You should show him the temple, Brother,” Thor interrupted, forgetting his anger and looking far too amused by the scene. “Maybe explain the Norns and Ygg tree to him.”

“The queen said something about a tree, but I thought it was a real tree with branches, a trunk and leaves... Is the Ygg real or just metaphorical?”

“It is both…” Loki said slowly, furrowing his eyebrows. “Do you always ask this much about everything?”

Stark broke into a wide smile, eyes glinting with mirth.

“Oh, you ain't seen nothing yet.”

* * *

They agreed to go to the temple after lunch. Tony had to change his clothes and eat something after fighting almost all morning with Thor. The blond prince couldn't go with Tony and Loki to the temple, but he told Tony that Loki was guaranteed to be a good guide and knew more about Asgardian history and magic than Odin himself.

When Tony arrived at the temple's doors, he already found Loki there, looking incredibly bored. The Asgardian didn't open his mouth, only turned around to enter the big hall, making a gesture with one of his hands, as if saying 'follow me'.

The place was, as everything in Asgard, ridiculously huge. But the difference between the temple and the rest of the palace was that the temple wasn't bathed in gold. The walls and floor had a blue tone, making the air a little darker, colder. The roof was a big dome, painted in black with stars made of crystals forming the constellations. In the center of the dome was a skylight, now showing the bright blue sky. Daylight entered and was reflected by multiple mirrors spread everywhere. It didn't have an altar, but in its place was a large tree, right below the skylight, with a trunk so wide that not even twelve men could hold it. The leaves were also blueish, and the roots grew in geometric patterns, following the floor design. Behind the tree was a big stained glass window, showing three women holding the world, stars surrounding their heads, black hoods covering their faces. The image was so full of details that, although Tony couldn't see how they looked like, he saw their hands were very distinctive from each other: the first had long fingers, almost skeletal, skin wrinkled by age; the second had delicate pale hands, young and beautiful; and the third had really small, childish hands.

The Midgardian closed his mouth with a loud click, feeling very small and a little anxious.

“This is Ygg, the Mother Tree,” Loki said with reverence, walking closer to the tree, closing his eyes before touching it. “It was from her seed that the world was born.”

“You don't actually believe that, do you?”

“Yes… and no.” Loki answered with a smirk, turning to the other man. “Of course this is not the real Ygg tree, but the temple was built in a very special place. The magic is stronger here… Some say that it was here that the first spell was cast. A spell so strong that it lasted even until now.”

“What kind of spell?” Tony asked while approaching the taller prince, to keep the other in his sight.

“Love, of course.” Loki explained, walking around the tree. “It was right here that the first couple fell in love, giving birth to all of us.”

Tony stopped and squinted his eyes, suspicious.

“Are you messing with me?”

“Now, why would I do that, Prince Stark?” Loki batted his eyelashes coyly, trying to play innocent.

“Oh my Gods, you are so messing with me! Just so you know, not cool. I'm asking real questions, okay. I really want to understand your science and-”

“Asgard has only one science, Prince Stark, and it is war. Believe me when I say that magic is not something to be proud of. Not really,” the mage said with a bitter smile, hands hiding behind his back in a tense posture.

“Why the hell not? If we had a couple of people like you back home, I wouldn't be here to marry off your brother.”

“But you would have another problems. Probably involving people like me, as you say. Too much power and almost no way to control the people with it. What would you do in that case?”

“Me? Nothing. I'm not the one who makes the laws back home. The Parliament does it.”

“Parliament?” Loki frowned again, but not in anger this time, only confusion.

“Yeah. Big place, full of lords and ladies who say what everyone should or shouldn't do. Including who I can or cannot marry, it seems.”

“But… You are their prince.”

“Yep, and that means nothing. The royal family is just a symbol. It's kinda complicated.”

“Why don't we make a deal? I tell you about magic, real magic, and you explain to me how this Parliament of yours works. Agreed?”

“Agreed. But you first. What exactly is Ygg and why plant it here?”

“Very well.” Loki smiled and made a table and chairs appear. “What do your people know about telluric currents?”

* * *

James Rhodes joined the army when he was pretty young. He had many reasons: to honour his family name,  his fighting skills, to serve his country in peace and war etc. He had never thought that he would become the prince's most trusted friend. Being Tony's bodyguard wasn't an easy task, and many others that had tried to hold his position failed because they didn't know how to deal with Tony.

To be fair, few people knew how to deal with Tony Stark. Some were too cold and distant, others tried to get too close  _ if you know what that means, _ and there was a small microscopic slice of the population who treated Tony like the spoiled brat that he was. No-nonsense people who complained and rolled their eyes and basically viewed Tony as a person, made of flesh and blood, not some intangible concept. Those tended to stick with the prince.

On his first day on the job, Rhodes made sure to show what group he was in.

Five minutes. It only took five minutes in the same room for the soldier lose his temper and grab Tony by his clothes, getting his ass off bed and dragging the prince to his morning duties. They became inseparable right then. So, when Tony started to vanish every afternoon until evening without telling anyone where he went, Rhodes started to worry.

“Where the hell have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!” Rhodes hissed and grabbed Tony by his arm, pulling the prince down the hall until they got to Tony's room.

“Ouch. Hey, no need to get so touchy. I was doing my job as a diplomat, if you really must know,” Tony said with a pout, straightening his clothes, cheeks flushed, hair a complete mess.

“No, no. You can't fool me, Tony. I know that face and that bothered look. You are up to something, and you are going to tell me what it is before you make a mess.”

“Now that's uncalled for! I really was doing my job! I was with Prince Loki, and he gave me a tour.” Then Tony broke into a smile that made Rhodes close his eyes and ask for patience. “He really is something, let me tell you. He showed me some magic and Rhodey it is amazing! I'm pretty sure it’s some kind of science and has some logic behind it, but Loki says it's more like an instinctive thing. Did you know that there are these currents called telluric currents that are deeply involved with Earth? Basically it's how mages can manipulate almost everything; they drain energy from the current like some kind of conductor and use it to change everything around them. It's the most fascinating-”

“Oh Gods.”

“- like Loki was showing- what? Why you are doing The Frown?”

“The Frown?”

“Yeah, that one you’re doing now. The Tony-you-are-going-to-put-us-in-trouble frown.”

“Well, I don't know Tony, maybe I'm getting a little worried because you seemed to be vanishing for hours, all alone, with the damn wrong prince!” Rhodes said sarcastically. “Did you even think about what this looks like?”

“Now Rhodey, you are being silly. I'm not flirting with Loki. He is just an intelligent person, and he knows things I don't  know and-”

“Since when do you call anyone intelligent after only knowing them for a few days, Tony?” the bodyguard contested, crossing his arms and raising one eyebrow. That made the prince snap his mouth shut, an awkward silence screeching in the room.

“You are being dramatic. I can recognize when someone is smart, okay? And we just talked. Plus, I spend my mornings with Thor; it’s not like I'm playing favorites or anything,” Tony finally said after a few painful minutes, rolling his eyes.

“But you want to just talk to him? Come on, Tony. You are a smart guy in many things, but not about sentiment. Remember when Pepper-”

“There is no need to bring her into this.” The prince shut down the other, voice firm.

“Fine,” Rhodes sighed, raising his arms in a placating manner.  “If you are sure...”

“Of course I'm sure. I told you; we just talk and that's it. No need to worry your pretty head about it. Now off you go, I must get ready for dinner.”

“As if I never saw you naked before,” the soldier said as he went through Tony’s clothes, picking a black coat. “What about this one?”

“Oh, I like it. But I was thinking about using the green one. What do you think?”

Rhodes closed his eyes, grumbling a prayer for patience, then looked at Tony with a pointed glare.

“Green? Really?”

“What? I look good in that coat!”

Rhodes just keep glaring, saying nothing, making Tony pout.

“Fine! I’ll use the black coat.”

“Good.” The soldier relaxed and even smiled, putting the coat on the bed, turning to leave the room.

“But tomorrow will use the green one!”

He shut the door with a little too much force and groaned, hiding his face with both hands.

Gods, they are screwed.

* * *

Loki was completely, utterly, ultimately doomed.

The next week passed in a blur, his time and thoughts being occupied by his duties and a certain Midgardian. For many mornings, Loki had been going to the library, only passing by the  courtyard to  see Stark sparring with Thor, always using magic to hide himself. He knew he wasn't being appropriate; Stark was his brother's betrothed. But he was only admiring from afar, and Stark's fluid movements were too beautiful to ignore, whether he was using a sword or in weaponless combat.

He only watched for a few minutes, however. He was a busy person, lots of spells to make, books to read, and he couldn't spare time to daydream about dark eyes, callous hands and…

Loki sighed, pressing his forehead against the Ygg tree, praying to the Gods for patience and serenity. Because, while his mornings were all about pining from a distance, his latest afternoons were spent with Tony, showing him all the palace, explaining Asgard’s culture and history. In exchange, Tony would tell him about Midgard and it's people, and describe places and costumes which differ between the realms. They also discussed magic and science, forging techniques and metal lures, books and philosophers, and…

Sometimes, Loki thought that he really liked to torture himself.

Because it was  _ so easy. _ Stark's sarcasm was beyond amusing, and the Midgardian didn't seemed annoyed by Loki's dry humor. Quite the contrary: Stark's curiosity never ended. He kept pushing Loki, making the Asgardian almost dizzy with so many questions.

“You know what? You haven't told me who those ladies are,” Tony said, making Loki blink. He hadn't noticed the other coming closer. The mage turned to look at the Midgardian, who was staring the stained glass.

“They are the Norns,” Loki answered softly, looking at the glass too. “The three most important ones. There are many others, good and bad. It is said that every time a child is born, a Norn appears to him or her, and they give a blessing or a curse.”

The silence that followed his phrase made Loki look at the other again. Stark's face was bathed with dim light, tinting his skin with multiple colors. There he went, contemplating the prince again, and not in a subtle manner…

“Do you think the Norn blessed or cursed you?” Stark whispered, without turning to the Asgardian.

Loki just shrugged. A small bitter smile crept onto his lips.

“Many say that I'm cursed. As I told you before, magic isn't a really good thing in Asgard. But... I don't think that a blessing or a curse from a strange woman would change anything. I would still have magic, and the people still would say it's a character flaw.”

“Which is a big bag of shit, if you ask me. It’s the same thing as judging me for being a scientist.”

“It is what it is. One person cannot change an entire culture. What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Don't play coy, Stark. It doesn't suit you. I'm asking if you think you were blessed or cursed.”

“Well, since it's not my culture or anything, it's hard to guess. But even with my ups and downs, there are people far worse than me, so,” Tony said with a smirk. “It’s not like I believe in Gods or any of this horseshit.”

“Spoken like a true prince.”

“Oh shut up. I bet you’d curse too, if you put an effort to it.”

“I would have you know that I'm a very respectable prince, and I don't dirty my mouth with such foul words.”

“Come on, Loki,” Tony said, his voice dropping a little lower. He was getting closer to Loki, brown eyes staring to green ones, one eyebrow raised in challenge. “I bet you could say things dirty enough to make a soldier blush.”

Loki felt a shiver run down his spine, the proximity making his heart beat wild. He knew Stark was only joking, and he didn't mean anything with all this flirting from the past days. But that didn't stop Loki from wanting. Wanting to touch Stark warm skin, to feel his lips against his…

“Maybe,” he finally answered, regaining his posture. “But you'll never know.”

Stark licked his lips slowly while watching Loki speak, and the Asgardian had to hold himself to not throw caution into the wind and kiss Stark for once. The energy between them changed, the mage could feel it, the air hotter, crackling with something Loki couldn't name.

“So… Where we are going today? Is there any place you didn't show me yet?” Stark’s voice was rough, and they still were too close for Loki’s sanity. He took a step back, praying to the Norns to be kind, and said calmly: 

“Inside the palace, I believe there is nothing else to see.”

“But…? I’m feeling like there’s a but.”

Loki rolled his eyes, but can't hold back a smile.

“Yes, there is a place. I was thinking about going there next week anyway, but I believe you would find the Druids’ Guild quite interesting.”

“Druids are the mages who do earthy magic, right?”

“Putting it in simple terms, yes.”

“So, what we are waiting for?”

* * *

”Don't,” Loki said with a glare. He tapped Tony’s wrist, stopping the scientist from using his fingers to inspect his face. “Illusions are delicate things. If you keep doing that it will dissolve.”

“It’s just that it's so weird. I’ve never imagined myself as a ginger. And having blue eyes is… I don't know.”

“You were the one who asked me to get us to the druids. We can't just enter the guild like us. It's not wise to attract attention.”

“Because mages are wicked and not truthful?” Tony said, snickering, and Loki made a face at him.

“No, because we are recognizable, and we are going to enter a place full of people, and  _ people _ can be deceiving.”

“As we are being?”

“Don't test my patience, Stark. Do you want to go or not?”

“You can call me Tony, y’know,” the scientist said, trying to not smile.

The mage sighed once more, murmuring prayers to the Norns, regretting this idea already.

“No  _ Stark. _ It's not proper for me to call you by your first name. We only speak to people so intimately when they are family or a lover.”

“But I'm going to be family! Besides, I call you Loki.”

“Well, you are not an Asgardian, so the custom is not expected from you.” He finished applying an illusion on himself, changing completely. His hair was shorter, the jet black curls becoming so blond that was almost white. His face was a little rounder, lips fuller, and his skin was a little more dark, salted with freckles. His eyes stayed green though, a little darker but still ethereal in a way that made Tony shiver.

“So, how we are going to do this?” Tony asked, trying to distract himself from those kinds of dangerous thoughts.

“What do you mean?”

“How we are going to go from point A to point B?”

Loki only smirked, touching his arm. Tony felt the floor disappear, his stomach drop and the world swirl around him. When he felt the ground under his feet again he almost fell on his knees, grabbing Loki’s arm to keep balance.

“What the fucking hell-”

“Oh, I'm sorry. I should have warned you; it is a little unpleasant the first time.”

“Oh my Gods, did we just teleport? Why did you never tell me you could do that? That's so wrong. Oh gods, you just broke physics. I can't even-”

“This is not the time for hysterics. Now, I'm known here by the name Lothur. I know it is hard, but do try to keep your voice down. We are going to enter, buy some herbs and go. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir. Not a word. Pinky promise.”

“One more thing. From now on your name is Ned. Yes, this seems obvious, but don't give your real name to anyone. I'm serious. Don't make me regret bringing you here.” With a final glare, he opened the Guild’s door, letting the Midgardian pass first. He smirked when he saw Tony impressed expression.

The outside of the building was very plain, a house made of old stone with strong geometric architecture, white walls with bindweed along them. But the inside was like a forest. The damp atmosphere surrounded them; there was soft grass under their feet and birds twittering softly from tree to tree. (Yes, there was more than one, in what seemed to be a fruit farm.) It didn't look like the house had a roof; sunlight bathed everything  with warmth. It took a moment for Tony to notice that there were more floors; the trees were made to grow in the shape of stairs, each one going to a different level. And all this was inside a house.

Magic. Just- Urgh.

“Herbs now, questions later,” Loki whispered, grabbing Tony by his hand, squeezing it lightly. He guided the other through the garden, ignoring the other mages around them. Tony looked everywhere, itching to point and ask how this or that worked, but before he could even blink, Loki had dragged him to the third floor. He was walking a little more slower, looking around as if trying to find something. The mage paused in front a wall with the painting hidden by more bindweed. He pushed away the plants to reveal a small door, wood so dark that it mixed with the shadows.

“Remember what I said. Not a word,” he whispered before entering. The room was dim, and the air had a bitter smell, a mix of burnt and earthy things. The place was illuminated only by small red spots of light around a table full of books organized in a chaotic manner. The wall opposite the door had shelves full of glasses filled with strange things, herbs of all kinds, and some curious stones Tony couldn't even imagine the composition of. There was also a bird perched in the highest shelf, looking at Tony and Loki as if it could see beyond the illusion.

“Greetings, Hawkeye. Could you please call for the Widow? I have come to retrieve my order.”

Tony looked at Loki with one raised eyebrow and then he looked around.

“Uh… Lothur…”

Loki only sent Tony a look that could kill. Tony shut his mouth and shrugged. If Loki wanted to talk to the air, whatever.

Then, the bird opened its wings, flew in their direction, and changed in midair. Two feet touched the ground with a dull sound, and before them was a man with dirty blond hair, a purple sleeveless tunic, black pants and no shoes. He inclined his head to a side, staring at Tony with weary blue eyes and a playful smile.

Only Loki’s strong grip around his arm stopped Tony from screaming. But still, the Midgardian couldn't hold back a gasp, eyes wide with shock.

“You are new,” the bird man said while circling them.

“Well, new is a relative term, considering that I'm almost twenty-five,” Tony said after recovering from his surprise.

Hawkeye’s smile only grew, a small chuckle echoing in the room.

“Oh I like him, Lothur. I approve.”

“Well, not that I care, but you approve what exactly?”

“Hawkeye, stop pestering the customers.” A new, feminine voice sounded in the room, making Tony turn to look at its owner. A small woman was in the room's corner, hair red as blood, dressed all in black, accentuating her pale skin. Her tunic seemed soft, hugging all her curves and, to Tony’s surprise, she was wearing pants instead of a skirt.

“I wasn't expecting you today. You said you were going to come next week.”

“Well, change of plans,” Loki said humorlessly, putting himself between Tony and the couple.

He felt his face heat up. As if he would let Loki protect him like some damsel in distress. Tony pushed Loki and went back to his side.

“Oooh touchy. What bug bit you, Lothur? Or maybe someone didn’t bite you hard enough?” Hawkeye snickered, looking at Tony, who only gave the other a pointed glare, crossing his arms.

“Stop it, Hawkeye, and go get Lothur’s package,” Widow said while rolling her eyes, pulling the man’s ear lightly. 

“Ouch, ouch, okay! I’m going.”

The man became a bird again, flying out of the room right into the wall, or what Tony thought was a wall. After everything he saw today, he wasn’t certain of anything. 

“You are being bold, coming here with a guest,” the Widow said, crossing her arms. “With a royal guest, of all things.”

“I’m just being a good host, that’s all.” Loki relaxed a little, but didn’t let go of Tony’s arm. The woman made an amused sound, looking at the Midgardian a little closer, a discreet smile forming in her lips. “And to think I would see this day…”

“I really would like to know that is going on here. Y’know, if anyone could explain.”

Both mages sighed. The woman finally turned to Stark, expression not amused. 

“Curiosity killed the cat, Your Highness.”

“And satisfaction brought it back,” Tony answered without hesitation, tensing when he noticed the title she had called him.

“Ah, but of course, where are my manners? I'm the Black Widow, and the man you saw is Hawkeye, my familiar. I know who you are,” she said before he could open his mouth. “There is no need to say your name aloud.”

“What is the problem with names and you  people?”

Widow only shrugged.

“Names are powerful things,” Loki explained. “Any kind of mage tries to avoid giving their real names to people they don't know.”

“Let me guess; if you know someone’s real name, bad things can happen to them?”

“If you know someone’s name, you can control them. Imagine being stripped of your soul, your mind, knowing nothing of yourself, certain that your only purpose is to obey,” Widow said with a cold expression. “Not a pleasant feeling.”

“Huh,” Tony said thoughtfully, looking closer at the woman. It seemed that the Widow spoke out of experience… He let a shiver run down his spine, and for the first time in his life, he didn't want to ask any more questions.

“Okay…  So, changing the subject, are there any other guilds like this? I mean, you said that there are different types of wizards and all.”

“Not in Asgard. The druids are a special type of mage. They are our ambassadors for being the most peaceful of mages, always attentive to universal equilibrium. So they were granted the privilege of building their guild here.”

“You keep talking like you are not a druid…” Tony said a bit hesitantly, making her smirk.

“You are not a druid are you? So what's up with all the plants and-”

“Found it!” Hawkeye shouted, reappearing in the room in a confusion of feathers and passing a small package to Widow, who gave it to Loki.

“There, my part is done. I'll be waiting for my payment.”

“You will receive your vision on the morrow. Thank you, Widow.”

The woman nodded to both, still smirking. Tony didn't know if he should just wave and leave or if there was another weird protocol between wizards or…

He hadn't much time to worry though. After a short bow, the mage took the Midgardian’s hand, leading them to outside the shop. Lair. Whatever. 

“What kind of mage is she?”

“A powerful one.”

“Well, duh. But if she is not a druid then-”

“This is not the place to ask questions, as I already told you,” Loki said with a roll of his eyes. “Besides, there is something I want to show you.”

“Ooh, another mysterious woman? Some new spell? Or maybe you'll teach me how to make a clone? That would be so useful, you have no idea,” Tony blabbered, excited, stopping in front the other, almost colliding with Loki.

“How can such a smart man talk this much nonsense, I still wonder,” Loki sighed, trying to hold back a smile.

“Hey! I don't talk nonsense. Everything I say- Wait, did the mighty mage of Asgard give a compliment? Wow, I’m touched.” Tony smirked, leaning a little closer, wiggling his eyebrows. “Oh Gods, you better hold me, I might swoon.” The proximity was making his heart beat a little faster. Only now he noticed that they were still holding hands, Loki’s long fingers were a good cold pressure against his skin.

“Yes, you foolish man. You are a smart person,” the mage said with a little smile. “Smart as you are presumptuous.”

Tony opened his mouth to protest - because, excuse him, he is not presumptuous; he is a genius and that is a fact, thank you - when the feeling of dizziness came back in full force. For a second he couldn't tell up from down as the scenery changed in a blur of colors.

He needed a few blinks before his sight adjusted. Tony landed on his back, the rocky ground biting his skin, making him moan in pain. Loki’s face appeared above him, an amused look on his face. 

“Damn, Loki, warn a guy,” he groaned, sitting up slowly and looking around. It was a very dark place, damp and chilling, with a dripping echoing noise that Tony took a moment to identify.

“A cave?” He frowned. 

“A sacred cave,” Loki answered, helping him to rise. “Only the seers are allowed to enter it.”

“Are you trying to mess with me again? No one can see the future, it’s-”

“Do you want to see it or not?” Loki asked, a little exasperated. He turned his back to him, walking slowly, his boots making a crunching sound. 

Tony got up and ran to catch up with Loki. He  squinted his eyes, trying to see around him. But there was only darkness and rocks and that annoying dripping sound. He was about to call Loki again when they entered a big chamber, so vast that Tony couldn't see its end. He looked up and saw their reflections, distorted as if looking at his image in a lake. There were what seemed to be roots descending from the ceiling, forming a chaotic yet familiar shape, like a tree upside down. Below the roots was a bowl on a pedestal, filled to the brim. 

Then, a single drop fell from the roots into the bowl, the water undulating just like the roof.

“This is a hell of an infiltration problem,” he murmured, approaching the pedestal with caution, curious.

_ Curiosity killed the cat, Your Highness. _

A shiver ran down his spine. He licked his lips, feeling his mouth dry.

“Y’know, you didn't tell me what kind of witch the Widow is.”

“She is… Unique. Not a seer like my mother, for she cannot have visions, but she is not ignorant of the future either. She is prone to druid magic, and she is a shapeshifter as well. Yet she also can manipulate energy with a frightening precision. Those are not the same kind of magic, and they are not easy to master.”

“So… You don't what she is?”

“No one knows what she is, not even herself.”

“Right.” He frowned, unsure. “Anyway, how does this work?”

“You have to look into the mirror. It’s not something precise, of course. The mirror can show possibilities, nothing more.”

“Not what you can do to make this or that come true.”

“Yes,” the mage said, looking at the other, a small smile in his lips. “Will you look?”

“Nah, I'm good. It’s not a good idea mess with time and all that.”

“Is the great Anthony Stark afraid?” Loki smirked, hands hovering above water, making the bowl shine with a deep green light. 

Tony knew it was a dare. He knew he didn't have to do it. Hell, he was almost sure that Loki was only joking about the future thing, and it was only muddy water, but…

Damn, it still was a dare, and he couldn't just let it go, could he? He wasn't a coward. Starks were made of iron and didn't run from a fight.

Right?

Right.

“What I have to do?”

“Breathe onto the water.”

Silence for a long minute.

“That's it?”

“Your breathing is not mere air from your lungs,” Loki said as he got closer, chest against Tony’s back. “It carries your life energy, your heat. Air is a powerful element and, just like the future, no one can really grasp it.”

“So, what is the point of trying to look into it?” Tony asked, turning his face to Loki, who just shrugged. They were really close right now, noses almost touching, warm brown eyes looking at bright green ones. Tony licked his lips without thinking and, close as they were, he could see Loki’s eyes following the movement, pupils dilated. Oh this was bad, really really bad. This was the reason Steve should be doing this, not him. Because of course,  _ of course, _ Tony would be attracted to the wrong prince. 

A drop fell into the bowl. The sound startling the princes, breaking the heated atmosphere. The cold of the cave settled into Tony skin once more and, after blinking a couple of times, he said:

“We should go back. I still… I still have to talk to Thor before the dinner. To discuss, y’know, things.”

Loki recoiled as if hit by lightning, showing no emotion when he took a step back. 

“But of course. Perhaps you may look in another time. I'll take us back to the palace in a moment, but if you’ll pardon me, I have to collect my payment to Lady Widow first.”

“Oh.” Tony let the sound escape, making the space between them even bigger. “Yeah, sure. I'll let you do your thing,” he said, but Loki was already focused on the bowl, back turned to him. His voice was but a whisper and in a strange language that Tony couldn't even try to understand. For many minutes there was only the mage’s deep voice, the infernal  _ plink plink plink,  _ and a tight feeling in his heart, like he had screwed up.

* * *

Contrary to popular belief, Thor wasn't stupid. Yes, he wasn't as intelligent as Loki, nor wise as his father, and he was even less cunning than his mother. But he always was perceptive when it came to other's emotions. Maybe because he was such an emotional being, who knew, but that wasn’t the point. 

The point was that Thor was not stupid, and he could see clear as day that Anthony Stark was smitten by his brother. 

He wasn’t bitter about it. Quite the contrary. He could see why the Midgardian would be so impressed by Loki. There were warriors everywhere, but mages seemed to be very rare in the lands far away from Asgard. But even besides that, Anthony and Loki were too much alike in their manner of thinking, both sharp and eager to learn. They loved to challenge each other and they could talk for hours about anything and everything: from the best ways to prank their brothers to Midgard science versus Asgard magic. 

Not that Anthony and he didn’t talk too. They did, but it was always about war and duties, as if they hadn’t anything more in common. With Thor, Anthony’s shoulders always seemed tense, as if with a great weight. While with Loki he seemed another person, with easy smiles and mirth.

And Loki, Norns... His suspicious little brother seemed to be more relaxed since he spend his first evening with the other prince, laughing and smiling more. His brother looked at Anthony with sharp smirks and, sometimes, apparent irritation, but there was amusement and happiness in his eyes that Thor hadn’t seen in years. 

He was decided to speak with Loki before the dinner and ask to trade places with him. Maybe there was still time to fix it. They hadn’t announced the wedding to the court yet. Yes, the plan was to make everything official  _ that very night, _ but if he talked to his brother they could think an alternative, maybe some pretense to postpone the engagement. He wouldn’t stay in the way of his brother’s heart, his word be damned. 

“Brother! I need to speak to you!” he said while entering the other’s room without knocking. Loki didn’t even raise his head to look at Thor, staring at an old book as if its yellowish pages held the universe’s deep secrets. Knowing his brother, maybe that was true.

“I don’t have time to talk now, Thor. And I’m sure you don’t as well. Don’t you have a feast to attend?”

“Yes, but I must speak to you about Anthony. You seem very close to him in the past days-”

“Speaking of him, he was looking for you earlier in order to talk about tonight, probably. You should see what he wants.”

Thor hesitated but got closer to his brother after a moment, bothered by Loki’s blank face and disinterest.

“Loki… I have noticed how much you two interacted these past days, and I was thinking that maybe it was better if…”

“There is no ‘if’, Thor. Father has already approved the arrangements, and the crow was sent.”

“But brother-”

“No buts either.” With a snap Loki closed the book, finally looking at Thor with an amused smile. “Please don't tell me that you are regretting the arrangement because of some mysterious woman. Father would be most displeased.”

“Loki,” Thor growled, losing his short patience. “I don’t have time to play games. Anthony is clearly infatuated with you! He and I are close, sure, but he-”

“Thor _ , _ ” Loki said, and his firm voice made the older be quiet. “What he has for me is curiosity. I am but a novelty to him. It's you who will save his realm from war.” He put the book on the table, rising from the chair, making himself occupied, pretending to search for another book. “You should go; it's not good to make Stark wait. I already told Mother that I’ll be late for the announcement, but I wish you both congratulations and a joyful union.”

“You are being stubborn, Brother. And you only act like that when you are afraid.” Thor grasped his brother’s arm, then pulled Loki into a tight hug. “I gave my word to Father, but I won’t marry him if you ask me to. I won’t stay in the way of your love. Just say the word, Loki, and I shall end this right now.”

Loki didn’t hug Thor back, but he let his brother take a little of his weight. That made Thor even more worried. To see his brother come apart like that was… 

“Brother?” Thor asked, and Loki only smiled bitterly, propping his forehead against Thor’s in a familiar gesture.

“You are a fool and your heart is going to get us in trouble someday,” Loki said in an undertone, breaking the hug to look at Thor with somber eyes. “Because you are not thinking about the situation diplomatically. This is not about you and me, this is about Asgard making a gesture. Stark needs soldiers, someone to help him win a war. You are the prince he needs. You are the one our soldiers will follow without hesitation. And don’t think that Father only gave us a chance to choose to be kind. He loves us, yes, but he also knows that you would be eager to prove yourself while I would be more cautious. If I’ve had given my word before you, it would be manageable, but not favorable. Do you understand?”

“Because I’m the eldest.”

“Yes, but also because Stark is the eldest as well. Although in his case, his people want his brother to reign. If he marries you, he no longer will be the heir. He’ll be your consort.”

“Wait, their people can choose who is going to reign? But what about King Howard? Does he have nothing to say about the matter?” He could see in the moment Loki smiled that his brother was remembering something, or someone, with fondness.

“It’s not like they can choose per se, but the people can put a lot more pressure on them. It’s called parliamentarism, and I think it’s a really interesting type of government. The king has less power, yes, but he also has less responsibilities.” Then, Loki blinked, and his warm expression went away entirely. “Anyway, we are getting off topic. You should go look for Stark. I have work to do, and now I’ll be even more late. Mother will be more furious than she already is. Go.”

Thor nodded and hugged his brother again, patting his shoulder before letting go. He still looked intensely at Loki.

“This conversation isn’t over. You are my brother, and I won’t let something like politics interfere with your happiness, understand?”

“Yes, yes. Just go before you give me a headache.”

“Loki, I’m serious.”

“I know you are, you big oaf.” His lips lifted, just a little, in an almost smile. “But not even you can change the way the world works, Prince Thor. The Norns know what they are doing.”

Thor nodded again, thoughtfully, praying to whoever among The Three that may be listening, for his brother to be right.

* * *

Tony felt like he was walking in a dream, but not exactly a good one. Since Loki had brought them back to the castle, everything seemed a bit blurred around the edges. It was surreal, really, that the day had finally come. He would get engaged like the Parliament wanted. Things actually went smoothly, although he had thought he would fuck everything up. The papers were signed. The only thing missing was the big announcement and, of course, the wedding. Formalities, in Tony’s opinion, because everyone knew that the Asgardian army was ready to march to Midgard and end the Ten Rings once and for all. Now he had the army which he knew was capable of saving his people from war and... He should be happy. Or at least content. His people would be safe again. His future husband was handsome, and with time they would like and trust each other.

And yet…

They fit, but Tony wasn’t sure if Thor and he made the right picture. They weren’t inclined to love each other that way. And, someday, someone would find a lover. The distance between them would get bigger and bigger, and Tony will be just like his father, stuck in a failed relationship. Okay, maybe not like Howard, but that’s because, thank Gods, Thor and he couldn’t have kids. Steve will be king, like everyone wants, and Loki...

“You are quiet.” Rhodes said after a while, breaking the silence in the room.  He gave Tony a concerned look. “What’s wrong?”

“Just thinking,” the prince said with a sigh, looking at Rhodes with a bitter smile. “I’m going to live here after the wedding, and it's going to be a pain in the ass to move my experiments, start my workshop from the ground...  Do you think Thor would let me build my workshop away from the palace?”

“Well, you can always ask him. But I don’t think that this is what is eating you.” 

Tony shrugged, turning his face away from the soldier.

Rhodes shook his head, resigned. He got close to Tony, placing a hand on Tony’s shoulder. 

“Look, I won’t say ‘told you so’. All I’m going to say is that there is still time to call this off.”

“I don’t want to mess this up. I can’t. I cannot risk our people or this alliance.” Tony’s voice was such a small thing that he doubted Rhodes listened at all. But of course Rhodes listened, because Rhodes was the best and always knew when Tony needed him most.

“Spoken like a true king.” Rhodes smiled, proud and sad for his friend. “If you think this is the right thing to do, I’ll follow you. ” 

“Thanks buddy.” Tony pulled in his friend and held him close in a tight hug, as if trying to crack Rhodes ribs. “I know I can count on you. You can always count on me too, okay?”

“Good, because if this mess ends in tears and I have to kill an Asgardian prince, you are the one who will help me escape.”

The prince snorted. His smile vanished when someone knocked, and they heard a male voice through the door. Both man shared a look before breaking the hug. Rhodes stayed close to the prince, hovering like a good mother hen.

“Enter,” Tony said after fixing his clothes, making himself relax his posture and smile. A servant opened the door, head bowed low. 

“The Queen invites you for tea in her gardens, My Lord.”

Tony fiddled with the sleeve of his coat, feeling his stomach drop.

“Did she?” he looked at Rhodes then, who seemed as lost as Tony. “Well, I better get going then. What do you think; am I good enough for some tea?” Tony opens his arms then, turning around to show off his clothes. He was wearing a blue coat with silver brocade on the sleeves and collar, a white shirt underneath it. He looked good, for the most part. His clothes were a bit wrinkled and the black pants were a little dirty, probably because of his fall in the cave. 

“Please tell Her Majesty that Prince Stark will meet her as soon as he refreshes himself,” Rhodes said to the servant, who nodded before exiting the room, leaving both Midgardians alone. 

“This is going to be the ‘If you hurt my boy, I’m going to murder you’ talk, isn’t it?” Tony sighed and covered his face with both hands.

“Yes. So you better take a bath and dress to impress,” Rhodes said with a raised eyebrow, making Tony pout.

“You are going to send me to my death just like that?” Tony whined, but he was being ignored by the soldier, who pushed the prince toward the bathroom.

“Bath, Tony. Don’t keep your Mother-in-law waiting.”

The prince sighed but did as Rhodes said, taking off his clothes as he was pushed to the bathroom.

* * *

The sun was still high when Prince Stark approached the garden table. The tea was already served, and the queen had a cup in her hands, hair pinned up in a elaborate braid. Her dress was a deep green, and she had chosen delicate jewelry, the gold complimenting her dress beautifully.

“Your Highness.” The prince smiled charmingly, taking Frigga’s hand as soon as he was close enough, kissed it, then sat opposite to her. 

“Anthony.” Frigga smiled back, waiting for the prince to sit before offering him a cup of tea. “How are you feeling today?”

“Wonderful. Better now with your invitation.”

“Flattery.” Frigga laughed, shaking her head with a small smile. “I’m glad you could join me today. You’ve been busy.”

“Very. Realms change but in every place one thing is still the same: politicians like to talk a lot.” Anthony joked, making Frigga laugh again.

“Indeed. But I’m happy that you are spending your mornings with Thor. And Loki said that your lessons in magic are going pretty well too.” The queen watched him closely, eyes sharp. He didn’t flinch, but Frigga could see him blushing, eyes turning away from hers. He was good at hiding his feelings, but she was a mother. To her, he was as transparent as clear water.

“He doesn't teaches me magic, per se. He says I don’t have talent for it. I’m too rational or something like that.” Then, he smiled in a fond manner. “But he knows a lot about Asgard and… everything, really. When he shows me his spells, I have to decipher how he does it. It became a game between us.” Anthony shrugged, a little sheepish . “I’m not really proud to say that he is winning by far.”

“Don’t let him fool you, dear. There is no basic formula to explain magic, and even the most powerful mages have some difficulty explaining basic spells. It’s too instinctive, and to explain it to someone without the gift… You probably won more than he let you know,” Frigga said in a maternal voice, but with eyes shining with mirth. “When he was a boy he did his first spell before even calling me Mother.”

“What did he do?” Stark leaned forward, interested. 

“It was his first hiccups, if I’m not mistaken. Everytime he hiccuped, he changed the color of his hair. And when the hiccups finally stopped he didn’t know how to change it back. The pink didn’t go away for a week!” 

“He didn’t tell me that!” Stark really tried to hold back his giggles. But as soon as Frigga showed him an illusion of baby Loki with pink hair, he gave in and his shoulders shook with laughter. “Look at that! He should have kept the color.”

“He would be lovely with any hair color, in my opinion. He did learn how to change other people’s hair, a few years later.” Frigga sighed, but it was entirely affectionate. “For a week, he changed Thor’s hair to the most ridiculous colors. Thor cried so much, he thought the Norns had cursed him. When he finally found out that Loki was the responsible for his hair condition, he asked for Fandral’s help. They started what the boys still call the Great Prank War.” Her smile changed as she spoke, her chest getting tight with nostalgia. “I miss those days. The palace was always full of joy and laugher… Now my boys are grown. Thor is going to get married…” 

She put the cup on the table, and then let her hands rest gently on her lap. She inclined her head a little to the side, looking at his brown eyes with a calculating glance. She could see that he was trying to not squirm, so she took pity on him.

“Thor speaks highly of you. He thinks you are a good friend.” The queen’s voice is soft, making Stark’s relax a little. “But I think you’ll agree with me when I say that’s all. You are good friends. Your heart is in another place. Am I wrong?”

For a second Stark was bug-eyed. But it was just for a moment. In a blink, his face was at ease, and he wore a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“No, my queen. But as my brother would say: a prince’s heart is with his people.”

“Wise words and a diplomatic answer,” she conceded with a nod. “I cannot say that I know how you feel, but I’ve been in your place. I came to Asgard to seek help for my people.” She paused, turning her face to look at the garden, thoughtful. “Odin asked for my hand, and I accepted. He spend the first year of our marriage trying to court me. And now I love my husband and my children, but in the beginning it was…”

“Difficult?” Anthony asked, a little hesitant. 

“Yes.” Frigga took the prince’s hand, squeezing it. “I love my family, Anthony. And soon you are going to be family too.” She looked at him again, a little hesitant. “What I’m saying is... It doesn’t have to be difficult for you.”

Anthony took a last sip of his tea, holding the cup close to his chest, and stared at the garden with lost eyes. Frigga could see Stark’s emotions on his face: his  brows were knitted in a frown, lips set in a grim line . The atmosphere was tense, but the silence wasn’t heavy, just contemplative. 

“You know your son. Do you think I should talk to him?” Anthony broke the silence and Frigga looked at the prince with a gentle smile. 

“I think you should do what is best for your people and for you. I also think that the Norns have blessed you with an opportunity. The question is: what are you going to do with it?” The queen picked up her cup again and took a sip.

“I can see where Loki gets his way with words.” Anthony said with a smile, a little more cheerful now.

“I taught him well.” Frigga laughed and rose from her chair, fixing her dress. At the same time, Anthony got up, pulled the queen's chair back, and helped her up. “I must apologize for having to conclude our lovely tea. I must attend to some duties before dinner.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I’ll look for Thor and talk to him. I think we should have a conversation.”

“Good.” Frigga waved her hand and, with a sparkle of magic, the porcelain vanished in a blink of the eye. She could have asked someone to clean the table afterwards, but the look of surprise in the Midgardian’s face was worth it. He gave his arm to her, and they walked through the garden until they reached the castle. “We must part our ways here.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“You are a good man, Anthony. Don’t push yourself too hard.” She touched his cheeks with both hands. “And just so we are clear, if you hurt my boys I’ll show you some spells that you’ll never forget. Are we understood?” 

“Yes, ma’am.” Stark swallowed nervously, eyes a bit too wide, making the queen smirk too much like her younger son.

“I see you at dinner, Anthony.” Then, she turned her back to him, walking away with a rustle of silks.

* * *

Tony looked at the door and raised his hand to knock, only to give up and start pacing. He had decided to talk first with Thor and then with Loki. After his tea with the queen, he was certain that it was the right thing to do.

It was the most scary tea time of his life. 

In his defense, Frigga was a scary woman. When he had accepted her invitation, he had expected some death threats. After all, he was going to marry her son.

What he hadn't expected was their little let’s-pour-our-hearts-on-the-table moment.

He couldn’t be mad at Frigga, though. She was kind, honest and so gracious and motherly that he could not help but remember his own mother. Maria Stark was the perfect queen, and she had never had to raise her voice in her life. Her diplomatic skills were impeccable, and she always knew when she had to be the queen or when she could follow her heart.

Tony missed her. She would know what to do.

“Anthony?”

Tony was jostled from his reverie by Thor’s voice. He had stopped pacing and was standing in front of the door when the Asgardian arrived. He tried to smile, but he only  managed to wince.

“Hey, big guy. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course, my friend! Loki said that you wanted to talk to me.”

At the mention of the other prince, Tony felt his jaw tighten. Thor was a nice guy, and Tony was about to dump him for his brother. He clasped his wrists behind his back, looking around before taking a deep breath. When he finally looked at Thor, he noticed the inkling in the blue eyes. Tony swallowed dryly, breathing deeply again.

“Yes, well… I was hoping we could talk about… Us.” 

“It’s a serious matter, then. Come in.” Thor opened the door, closing it behind them. “Sit. Tell me what worries you.”

Tony thanked the other and looked around. It was similar to his room, except it was clearly lived in. There was a big table filled with papers and books. There were also weapons, lots and lots of weapons. In the back of the room was the bed, ridiculously big, of course. Tony tried to not stare and imagine how Loki’s room looked like.

He sat on the chair and rested his elbows on the table, face in his hands. He had stayed like that for too long, it seemed, because Thor called him with a worried voice, as if it wasn’t the first time he had tried to draw Tony’s attention.

“Okay. Sorry. I’m nervous, and I really don’t want to mess up. I came here to marry you; it was what everyone was waiting for. And everything is already signed and done, we just have to officially tell everyone and that’s it, we are going to get married. I wasn’t a fan of this plan in the beginning, because who the hell wants to marry a stranger, right? No offense, big guy, but I had no idea how you were. Then I met you, and you are nice, and I know I’m babbling. But, my point is, I think I met someone else. A complicated someone.” He closed his mouth with a snap, heart pounding against his chest. He raised his gaze to Thor and held his breath, waiting for the worst. 

“Someone else? I don’t understand,” Thor said with furrowed brow and crossed arms.  “I thought that you were interested in Loki.”

“Oh my Gods, did everyone in this place notice that I have a crush?!” Tony threw his arms up in frustration, staring at Thor with disbelief.

“Are you telling me that you are in love with my brother, then?” he asked. His voice had a hint of hope and his eyes brightened, as if Tony had just said the best thing in the whole month. On the one hand, Thor didn’t seem to want to kill him. On the other hand, if Thor kept this infuriating suspense up, Tony would have a heart attack, and all this would be in vain because he would be dead.

“Yes! Well, not love, I like him, I really do-” Tony answered, running his hands through his hair, making it stick in all directions.

“This is the most wonderful news my friend! We must tell Loki immediately! He will be ecstatic!” Thor stood up quickly as he exclaimed with his boisterous voice, making Tony wince and almost cover his ears.

“Wait Thor- What do you mean-” Tony tried to make himself heard, but the Asgardian was still talking, voice too loud in the room.

“We must talk to Father too! Warn him to wait for you to talk to Loki about this! I’m sure Loki will say yes to you, friend Anthony. He is clearly fond of you. And you should have seen his face earlier when we discussed this-”

“You discussed what with him?!” Tony got up and tried to interrupt again, but Thor was too excited, talking while racing to the door in large steps.

“Come! Let’s go see Father, so we can fix this and make my brother and you happy!”

* * *

Odin was buried in papers. He hadn't seen the top of his desk in months, and every time he paused to meet some noble or general, the papers seemed to multiply. He was tired and cranky, needing some rest, maybe a hunting trip to distract his mind from Asgard’s problems. There was Midgard’s war too. Merely thinking about it made Odin sense a migraine forming. He rubbed his eyes, letting a big sigh leave him, shoulders dropping. He had to organize his troops and survey the supplies and…

“You work too much, my love.” He heard Frigga’s voice from the door and smiled at his wife.

“Someone has to, milady.” He extended his hand to her. Frigga approached him, taking his hand, squeezing it lightly. He kissed her palm and closed his eyes when she touched his face, her warm palms against his cheekbones.

“You need to delegate, love. Thor could help you with this. It is going to be his job someday, is it not?”

“He is not ready.” Odin shook his head, eyes still closed. “Besides, he has to entertain the Midgardian prince.”

“He'll never be ready if you don't give him some responsibility,” Frigga insisted, letting go of his beard to touch his hair, her fingers going through it in a soft manner. “And Thor is not the only one entertaining Stark. He spends a lot of time with Loki too.”

“Indeed? And, pray tell, what is Loki doing with the Midgardian?”

“Nothing you should worry about. Besides, it is good that Loki is making a friend who likes the same things he does.”

“Your saying that I should not worry only makes me more cautious, milady.” He turned to his queen, narrowing his eyes when he saw her smile. He knew that look; he saw it many times, albeit less in her, and more on their younger son. Every time Loki smiled like that, some mischief was about to happen. 

“Rest assured, husband mine, that I did nothing. I was only thinking about how we are bound to the will of the Norns, and they are capricious sometimes.”

“Capricious you say? How so?”

Before Frigga could answer, the door opened with a loud noise. Thor barged right into Odin’s chamber, followed by a flushed Stark. 

“Father! We must change the engagement arrangements! I cannot marry Prince Stark!”

“What nonsense is this?!” Odin rose from his chair and felt Frigga touching his arm, as if asking him to be calm. 

“Thor, you should know better than to enter your father chambers like that,” Frigga said with a disapproving tone, turning to look at Stark, who was still trying to normalize his breathing. “Prince Stark, are you alright?”

“Yes, Your Majesty; thank you.” Stark smiled at Frigga, turned to Odin with his chin up, and squared his shoulders. “King Odin, I deeply apologize for this, but Thor is right. I cannot marry him.”

He could feel his migraine getting worse quickly. Odin pinched his nose, eye shut tight.

“What in the name of the Norns are you both talking about?”

“Loki and Stark, father. They fell in love with each other, and I cannot interfere with their relationship.” 

Odin opened his eye slowly, looking at his son and then at Stark, his blue eye cold as ice. 

“And where is Loki to defend this relationship?” His voice was sharp, and it made Stark and Thor flinch. It was the Midgardian who stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back, posture obviously tense. Odin had to concede that the kid had some courage. To ask for everything to change on the evening of the engagement dinner, the part that needed the most help and preparation, was a bold move.

“I must admit that I haven't talked to him yet.”

Or maybe he was just insane.

“So, you are telling me, Prince Stark, that you are making this request without even knowing if Loki will agree to marry you in Thor’s place?”

“Yes,” Stark answered firmly, staring at Odin’s eye without hesitation.

“No,” the king said. Thor and Stark started to talk at the same time and were silenced when Odin raised his hand. “I won’t allow you both to barge into my chambers and demand that I change everything just because you both think that Loki and Stark are in love. Not when Loki has made no comment about this to any of you.”

“Father please! Loki and I have talked! He is afraid of disturbing the agreements between our realms, and he refuses to speak his wishes. But I’m certain that if Anthony asked him, Loki will accept the engagement!”

“And I still say no!” Odin held himself back from letting his voice rise. “You are not children anymore! This kind of behavior is unacceptable, and you both are out of your minds if you think that I’m going to allow this whim!”

He felt the hand on his arm spasm. He turned to Frigga and noticed how her face was tight, her always present smile entirely gone.

“My king, if I may suggest something?” the queen asked while looking at Stark. The Midgardian prince seemed a little pale, but didn’t waver under Frigga’s scrutiny. “Let Prince Stark talk to Loki. If they reach an agreement, I don’t see why Stark shouldn’t marry Loki instead of Thor.”

“Thank you, Mother-”

“Thank you, Queen Frigga-”

“Frigga, you are really-”

“However,” she continued to speak, making all the men fall silent. “I agree with my husband. We cannot let such important alliance be decided by the whim of three boys, not after all the time  they had to come to us and talk about how they were feeling.” The queen raised her eyebrow, making Thor and Stark look at the ground. “So, I propose to let the Norns decide.”

“Frigga, you cannot be serious!” Odin tried to interfere, but Frigga sent a look at him that made it clear that she was resolute. Meanwhile, Stark watched the monarchs closely, looking at Frigga with hopeful eyes.

“Do you mean a test?” Stark asked, and his voice is eager. 

“You have one hour until dinner,” she said to Stark. “You have to find Loki, explain yourself to him, and meet us in front of the dining hall doors. If he says yes to you, and you both arrive in time, you may marry Loki.”

“What if I don’t?”

“Then we proceed as planned, and you marry Thor.” She conjured an hourglass, the sand suspended without falling. “You must search for Loki alone. You can ask for help, but you cannot use magic. Do you understand those terms?”

Stark nodded with wide eyes. 

“Your time starts now.” Frigga touched the hourglass, and the sand began to fall. The first grain didn’t even touch the bottom of the glass, and Stark was already out of the room,  feet hammering on the marbled floor. Thor went right after him after sending a confused look at his parents.

“You are hiding something,” Odin said when they were alone again, and Frigga chuckled, kissing her husband on the cheek.

“Maybe I am, maybe not. A little mystery is good for the marriage, husband mine. Now, I believe there are some documents that need to be changed.”

* * *

Loki dropped his pen and rubbed his palms against his pants, closing his eyes for a second. He wished he could just sleep and wake up the next day with Stark already gone and his problems solved. Away from temptation, with time to think and put his head on right again. Yes, with time and distance, he could forget his infatuation for the prince and move on. 

Back to his lonely afternoons in the library, surrounded by books, magic theories and peace. 

He cursed aloud, passing his fingers through his hair, grabbing it with a sigh. He had misspelled another word and, while it was something easy to fix, it was the tenth time he had to correct himself in half an hour. He looked at the clock. There was still time, and they would probably wait for him to make the announcement. In half an hour, his brother was going to be officially become engaged, and Stark will be lost to him forever.

Loki ignored the tightness around his heart and started to write again. Of course, he would still see Stark, and they would still be friends. They had already become so close in such a short time… 

But what really made his heart ache was that  _ they could have been so much more. _

“This is getting nowhere.” He pulled away from the table, pacing around the room, twisting his fingers. He only had half an hour to stop this silly behavior and get ready for dinner. If Mother came looking for him, it would be a disaster. She would be upset, and then Thor would make his big puppy eyes, and his father would glare disapprovingly for the rest of the night.

He was so deep in thought, thinking about what he was going to wear,  _ Norns, what he was going to do _ , that he startled at the hurried knocks on his door. He unlocked it, and Stark himself stumbled into his room, almost falling face-first into the ground.

“What in the Norns are you doing here?”

The Midgardian tried to compose himself in vain. He was a complete mess: clothes crumpled, eyes wide, hair in disarray and out of breath.

“Found you, thank Gods, I found you, listen,” Stark said between big gulps of air. “I’m not going to marry Thor.”

Loki opened his mouth, trying to process Stark’s words. His stomach turned upside down, and his heart started to race against his chest. 

“You are not going to marry Thor?” Loki said after recovering from his surprise, crossing his arms. “What nonsense is this?”

“I talked with Thor about us, and things kinda went out of control, but summing it up, we talked with your parents and they said, actually, your mother said that I could try, King Odin just shouted a big fat no-”

“Stark,” Loki sighed, rolling his eyes, tapping one foot. “Go back to the point.”

“I like you, Lokes,” Tony said without hesitation. A shiver ran down Loki’s spine. Loki froze on spot, staring at the other with wide eyes. Stark got closer and Loki didn’t move, mouth getting dry. “It took me a good while, and I should have told you this earlier, but I like you. And I really suck at this feelings thing, but I want to try woo you and… Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Thor. He is a good guy. I bet he is good husband material, but we are friends and that’s it. I know. I know that I’m being a bit crazy, because is not like I fell in love with you at first glance, but I know that with time we could-”

“We could what? Fall in love?” Loki said in a sharp tone, the turning his face away,  slamming his eyes shut . “So you want us to burst into the dinner hall and declare to all of Asgard that you are going to marry me, just like that?” When Loki opened his eyes, they were cold. “You are more stupid than I thought, if you believe that such a thing is possible. You are going to lose the army and, in the worst case scenario, you are going to lose your head!”

“Gods Loki, no one is going to die, stop being dramatic!” Stark sighed, looking up to the roof, as if asking the Gods for patience. “What if I told you that there are no consequences? That all I need is your answer? If you say that you don’t like me that way, fine. I’ll walk away, marry Thor and deal with it. But if you say yes-”

“There are always consequences, Stark!” Loki got away from the Midgardian, hands clenched in fists, shaking, eyes wide with shock. “And demanding me to answer is not going to change that!”

“Stop trying to get away from the question! It’s simple, yes or no Loki?!” Stark was almost shouting now, and Loki had to take another step back or he was going to do something he will regret. Kiss Stark, or punch him, Loki hadn’t decided yet. “Please.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, rubbing his eyes, shoulders  slumped. “ I can’t just marry him knowing that I could have had a chance with you.”

Loki shook his head, biting his lip, hands tightly gripping his upper arms. Stark was insane.

“Even if I say yes to this madness, you are not thinking this through. You need Thor. He is the prince you need to lead the war. Not some scrawny mage who likes books too much.” Loki tried to make his voice sound steady, but he knew that he failed the second Stark touched him, his calloused fingers taking Loki's hands.

“Hey… If you really think that, then you are more stupid than I thought.” Stark dared to throw his phrase right back at him with a smirk, brown eyes warm with fondness. “You are an Asgardian prince just like your brother. If you are worried about the agreement, it won’t change. Asgard will still lend me the army.” Loki could not look away from Stark eyes, feeling his heart flutter as the other got closer and closer until their chests were touching. “My realm has generals to lead your army, Loki. The prince would never go to war. Strategically speaking, it doesn’t make sense for the heir of the throne to go to where he can, you know, easily die.” Stark- No, Anthony, held Loki’s face between his warms hands, pulling the other’s face closer, foreheads touching. And, by the Norns, Loki let him, breath  quickening. 

“Well, you should tell that to Thor then. He was already dreaming about his fights,” Loki tried to joke, but his voice was breaking and his smile was tight, not reaching his eyes. “How can you be so sure that nothing will change? You said it yourself; my father already said no. You should go-”

Anthony sighed again mumbling something about stubborn princes. Then, Stark ended the distance between them, and their lips collided. Their mouths didn't fit at first, as Loki was still talking and Tony pulled him with too much force. But soon as Loki got over his shock and tilted his head... Then... 

Then it was perfect. Anthony's lips were hot and soft, his goatee tickling, making Loki's whole body shiver. Loki grabbed the other by the waist, biting Stark's lower lip, making Anthony part his mouth. Someone moaned when their tongues touched, the kiss getting deeper and deeper as Loki chased after the salty-sweet taste of coconut and  _ Anthony _ . Loki squeezed the other a little more, trying to get them even closer, thin long fingers roaming over his strong back while Tony hugged his neck, pulling Loki’s hair, biting and demanding more. Loki couldn’t think,  _ couldn’t breathe _ , the air too thick and heated. All Loki could feel was Anthony’s short nails in the back of his neck, the scent of earth and metal, the way their bodies fitted together and  _ Anthony, Anthony, Anthony _ .

When they finally broke apart, they were both breathless. Loki wasn’t sure if they had kissed for seconds or minutes, and he didn’t care because he had his arms full of a gorgeous Midgardian with puffed red lips and brown eyes almost black with desire. 

“If you had let me explain,” Stark said with a shaky laugh. “I would have already told you that your mother said that if I brought you in time for dinner, she would accept the exchange. Something about the Norns.” Stark lifted his shoulder in a half shrug.

Loki turned to look at the clock. They had less than five minutes to put themselves together and get to the dinner hall. 

“Why didn’t you tell me that before, you bloody idiot?” he cursed, snapping his fingers. First things first. Loki looked himself at the mirror. He was impeccable as always: his hair was  down, slicked back, his green tunic hugging his body perfectly with a light brown belt, the soft fabric shining gently under the torch lights. He also was wearing a dark green cape with Asgard’s coat of arms embroidered in gold and precious stones. And on Loki’s head sat a thin crown, made of threads of gold, the delicate lines forming knots in a pattern that seemed to be popular in Asgard. 

“You didn’t answer if you are going to accept my courtship,” Anthony said in a husky tone, distracted. He was looking at Loki like he wished to ditch the dinner and spend all night in Loki’s room. “Please say that you are going to accept my courtship,” Anthony whined, and Loki smirked at him through the mirror, rolling his eyes.

“Do you still have doubts? Foolish man.” Loki stole a kiss, laughing when Tony tried to hold him closer, stepping back. He shook his head and with another snap of his fingers, it’s Tony’s turn to change his clothes. 

The crumpled coat and shirt from earlier were gone, and in their place was a deep crimson tunic made of the same soft fabric as Loki’s. The belt was black, twisted in a braid, and tied at it were Anthony’s swords, the sheaths decorated with little wolves in gold. Loki gave Anthony a cape too, the red a shade lighter than his shirt, his family coat of arms in gold. The wolves’ eyes were made of dark emeralds, the same green as Loki’s eyes. 

The only thing missing was Stark’s crown; that was in Loki’s hands. The golden thread was much thicker than Loki’s crown, and the gold intertwined in a loose braid instead of knots. He put the crown on Tony’s head and stepped back, admiring his good work.

“Now you are looking like a proper king.” Loki touched Tony’s cheek, kissing him again, more tender this time, savouring the feeling of butterflies in his stomach. “We should go. We don’t have much time.” 

Anthony’s eyes widened, looking at the clock, cursing. 

“Damn it. We are late!” He grabbed Loki’s hand, running to the door. “We need to hurry because your mother said-”  

* * *

“... No magic.”

Too late. Loki had already teleported them both right in front of the dinner room doors. Tony was starting to think that Loki was doing the surprise-teleport-thing on purpose, just to fuck with Tony’s brains. 

The rest of the Asgardian royal family was waiting for them, all dressed in similar formal clothes as Loki and Tony. When Tony saw the queen’s face, he waited for the worse. After all, Queen Frigga was clear. He couldn’t use-

Oh. Oooh. She said that Tony couldn’t use magic. _ She never said that Loki couldn’t use it too. _

Damn mages.

Frigga looked at them appraisingly. The hourglass, floating right beside the queen, stopped. “Right on time.” She made the timepiece vanish, turning to Odin. “It seems that the Norns blessed this union. It would be a sacrilege to go against their will, don't you think, my king?”

Odin looked upon them, his brows knitted in a frown. Tony could feel the disapproval in Odin’s glare. He smirked anyway, cocking one eyebrow to the king.

“If you say so, my queen.” The king turned his back at the princes, offering his arm to Frigga. The queen winked at her sons and Tony before accepting Odin’s arm, entering the hall when the doors opened. As soon as the monarchs disappeared into the dining hall, Thor turned to the couple with a big smile.

“Well done, Anthony! I could not be more happy for you two!” Thor hugged them both, wishing them congratulations under Loki protests and Tony's laugher.

“Stop it, Thor! You're crumpling my clothes!”

“I told you, brother!” Thor let them go, still laughing, his eyes wrinkling with amusement. “I told you that Stark reciprocated your feelings!”

“Yes, yes, there is no need to shout at the whole palace,” Loki grumbled. Tony looked at him and oh Gods, Loki’s ears were getting red, how could he be more cute?

“Thank you, big guy. You helped a lot.” Tony patted Thor’s arm and the Asgardian slapped him back on the shoulder, making Tony almost lost his balance.

“No need to thank me, my friend. Just make my brother happy. And if you hurt him, I’ll crush you.” Thor nodded at Tony and, with a last smile, entered the dinner hall, leaving Loki and Tony alone again. They stayed silent, looking at the door, hearing the people laugh and chatter. Tony took Loki’s hand, interlacing their fingers.

“Are you ready?” Tony asked and Loki scoffed, but increased the strength of his grip.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Anthony, I’m always ready.” The mage raised his chin. “Although I still think that everybody went insane.”

“Really? Now you call me by my first name? And you had to call me Anthony. Are you incapable of calling me Tony?” He pouted. “Come on, Lokes. It’s easy. Repeat after me: Tooo-” Loki sighed, turning to Tony, silencing the other by placing a fingertip on his lips.

“All right, _Tony_. If it will keep you quiet,” he relented with a half smile. “I’m still calling you Anthony in front of the others, though.” And Loki looked at the door, straightening his shoulders. “Are you sure about this?”

“Of course I am.” Tony smiled, open and bright. He kissed Loki’s knuckles “Babe, please, you and me? We are going to rule the world.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed! :D


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